Angel of Death

By Norelle Ramlagan

"Angel of Death,” depicts my original character, Imani. He’s transgender, living in the closet his entire life. After his abrupt murder, his soul remains in unrest, barred from passing on. But in his purgatorial state, Imani can finally live as himself. He had his life stripped of him, cannot move on to Heaven like everyone else, yet is free. His story is one of a cyclical struggle across all transgender experiences. He was a timid, reclusive person in his life but the event of his tragic death gave his soul courage, allowing himself to truly be liberated. Many people of transgender identity are faced with violent discrimination, verbal and religious abuse as a means to control and fit us into a concept. We are told that we should “be a man” or “be more ladylike,” and to stop wasting time if we want to be loved by God. That reinforcement of negative perception only strengthens one’s resolve to face their identity as an act of defiance, pondering the in-between, then reclaiming themselves despite facing isolation and damnation. In Death, Imani found Life, ascending to a higher state of being, like an angel despite being stuck in between Heaven and Earth.

Meet the Creator

My name is Norelle. I am a trans masculine nonbinary person who has felt the harsh cycle of life and death, watching my identity die and be reborn, while still living. I have made peace with the potential social securities that may have died upon me choosing to live, and welcome the new chance at living that I’ve given myself, no matter how much time I’ve lost and have left.